UCCSC Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is UCCSC?
2. How did UCCSC get started?
3. Where and when have past UCCSCs been held?
4. Who attends UCCSC?
5. What types of presentations have been made at UCCSC?
6. What can I expect to learn at UCCSC?
7. How can I subscribe to the official UCCSC listserv?
8. How can I contact the Santa Barbara team hosting this year's conference?
9. What is the theme for this year?
10. What were some of the themes at previous UCCS Conferences?
11. How much does the conference cost?

1. What is UCCSC?

UCCSC stands for "University of California Computing Services Conference."

Begun as a grass roots effort by UC campuses to share knowledge and information, computing professionals from the UC campuses (and others for whom technology constitutes a significant portion of their daily activities) have met each summer since 1982 to discuss common issues associated with providing and supporting information technology services at the University of California.

Each summer a different UC campus hosts UCCSC.

2. How did UCCSC get started?

The first "conference" was at UC Santa Cruz in 1982. It was hosted by Jim Mulherin, a consultant who suggested that UCSC find out what other UC campuses were doing with respect to academic software. The focus was strictly on academic software and it was held in a conference room on campus. Twenty-one people attended.

3. Where and when have past UCCSCs been held?

4. Who attends UCCSC?

Each year, UCCSC draws approximately 250+ computing professionals (and others with a variety of job titles and/or appointments for whom technology plays a significant role in their daily activities) from across the University of California.

Participants include technical support staff, system administrators, unit directors and managers, librarians, information security experts, and others.

5. What types of presentations have been made at UCCSC?

Topics range from campus technical issues and projects to organizational and policy issues. Below is a sampling of past topics:

• Electronic Exam Return: save time, space, and money
• DLs, LITS and Global Desktop - Managing Client Relations @ UC Santa Cruz
• Credential Stealing Attacks – A case study of a recent major international incident
• The UC Berkeley Calendar Network: Development of a Campuswide Event Calendar
• Designing Accessible Web Sites
• Legal2Share – Fostering an Innovative Marketplace for Online Entertainment Services
• Online Class Evaluations
• QuickTemp - "An IT Innovation for Managing a Temporary Staffing Process"
• Panel Session on Scientific Cluster Management
• Interoperability and UC's New Image Service
• UCR Smart Classrooms
• Current Identity Management Initiatives at UC & Beyond: UCTrust
• UC Davis Vulnerability Scanning and Remediation
• IT Security at the University of California - A New Initiative
• UCLA’s Shibboleth Plan
• UC Irvine's New Anti-Spam Measures
• Academic Associates Program (AAP) at San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC)

6. What can I expect to learn at UCCSC?

Aside from the subject matter discussed in the seminars, you will learn what other people are doing at other campuses in IT. You will have opportunities to network with people from other campuses who do the same thing as you, enriching your understanding of how things operate UC-wide. And new for UCCSC 2008, you'll have a chance to attend technical tutorials on a variety of topics.

7. How can I subscribe to the official UCCSC listserv?

Fill out the subscription form at http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/uccsc

8. How can I contact the Santa Barbara team hosting this year's conference?

Send email to

9. What is the theme for this year?

Our theme this year, titled "Now UC IT...," focuses on the life stages of IT services, from conception through maturity to legacy status.

10. What were some of the themes at previous UCCS conferences?

• 2007 - Celebrating 25 Years of Technology Excellence
• 2006 - Imagine What's Next
• 2005 - Getting IT Done. Getting IT Right. Getting IT Done Right.
• 2004 - Fast Forward: UC IT 2010
• 2003 - Threads in the Academic Fabric
• 2002 - Improving Life Through Technology
• 2001 - Universal Access: Anytime, Anywhere
• 2000 - Portal to the Future
• 1997 - Connections
• 1995 - Preparing the Inn Along the Information Super-Highway
• 1994 - Building Quality Computer Services
• 1993 - Using Networking and the Network to Create Less Net Work
• 1992 - How Do We Leverage Our Diversity?
• 1991 - Computing Sourcebook Instead of Annual Reports

11. How much does the conference cost?

The costs for the conference are travel, lodging, registration, and an optional commuter meal fee.  The registration fee is $215 through June 20.  After June 20, registration is $265. The registration fee includes attendance, the Sunday evening reception and dinner, and the Monday evening dinner. 

Your registration and on-campus lodging can be paid either by credit card or by recharge. Please be aware that all recharges will be prepared in July, which applies the expense to 2008-09 funding.

Travel costs are your own responsibility.  Lodging costs are currently set and are available on our Lodging page.  If you choose on-campus housing, your breakfast and lunch cost will be included in your lodging fee.  If you choose to stay in a hotel, you have the option of purchasing a separate commuter lunch package, or using a credit card to pay at the door.

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